New layout plan.. Advice/critique needed

rsn48 - you're not the odd man out. I agree that around the walls is a better idea - however for some the duck-under is too big of a disadvantage. With N scale it's still possible to get the reverse loops in that G shape and not have 6x6 foot 'blobs' that us HO guys have to deal with. Still, the blobs in N reduce portability.

That said - I think the plan 3 is the best so far. Of course I would dedicate much more than 2 tracks for the SOO interchange I do like the idea of a Soo Line branch to go with the interchange - extra operating potential AND it's Soo Line to boot!

I'm not sure if the main line 'around' the yards is all that necessary. I would be looking more at the aforementioned yard leads that don't foul the main and dedicate one track in the yard as the main.

last note - the 'short cut' from the team track to the grain terminal - I think this defeats the purpose of a 'branch line' from the I-M yard to the industry to the saw mill to the grain term. If you remove the link from the saw mill to the grain terminal you would leave the grain terminal on the main but the saw mill at the end of the branch line - seemingly hundreds of miles away - visually you would want to separate them - maybe with a ridge?

 

On Layout 3, How do you get out of the Intermodal yard and back out to the Main?? I don't think you will want to back a long intermodal train from the yard to the main. Why don't you move the shortcut from the Main to the branchline (near the Grain terminal) to a spot near the exit from the intermodal yard? I think most railroads would rather run their intermodal trains straight through yards rather than backing them.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by HemiAdda2d:
Where do you think I should add the Amtrak Station? On the main, or the branch?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

On the branch.

 

Aaaaaaa, I'm sorry Mike. I have to say I'd put the Passenger Station on the Main. Not too many Branch Lines that have Passenger Service during the time frame of this layout.

 

Took me awhile to get up to speed on the around the wall duck under. By around the wall, I was thinking of a layout in shape of the letter G or something like that, not something with a duck under at the door.

The advantage of the domino theory is that it is adaptible to differing room shapes. The layout above will be difficult to find a home, since it is so long. And eventually, I suspect the person will want more of a shelf layout. Hence the domino theory is much more adaptible to changes, which means it will also be cheaper in the long run because it is more re-cycleable.

 

Why not make an around the walls layout all the way around the room? I know, most people don't like duck unders but since N scale is so small, it's best if the layout is near or at eye level view anyway. If the layout is at that height, ducking under ain't so bad. My layout is almost eye level so that the trains, scenery, structures look much more massive. Any lower, especially N scale, looks like looking down from an airplane.

You want long trains? Try out this approach, your plan shows a 6 by 16 foot penisula type benchwork. To have that type of layout the room would have to be a least 10 by 20 feet(assuming you have 2 feet from the 4 edges of the layout to the walls). You could have roughly a 10 by 20 foot around the walls layout with much more extra space in the room. You can have a longer yard, longer trains, broader curves, better provisions for walk around throttles, and a longer mainline run. If you want even a longer mainline run you could add a small penisula going down the middle of the room.

The domino theory is basically smaller sections of a layout joined together to make the main layout, that can be taken apart and reconnected together again and case of a move.

 

The idea of domino has its origins in several assumptions:
1) A layout with easy wiring (DCC and hand throws)
2) Simple reliable track (in N scale 100 - I would go to peco 55 on this issue)
3) Easy transportability - for those that move a lot.
4) Dominoes already designed for you, you don't have to think.
5) A system to get a beginner up and running faster on a more complex system than something they might have designed.
6) One level
7) no grades

It is presented in about MR issues. The basic theory is laid out and various and many dominoes are presented. You pick and chose your dominoes for your layout. Linda Sand also designed several industries using dominoes...so you just choose your industry(s) and you already have your track plan. The track plan is on each domino...so you say: Well...I'll take two of those,,,three of those...one of those...two corner ones...three industry ones...etc. Then put it together. When you move; you take them all apart, than design them for your new room. Okay...I can't use this one...I'll need to build a new one of those...I'll need two more of those...and voila...your new layout in your new home is up and running.

Let me know if you are seriously interested only, as I'll have to do some research for you. Probably I'll got to the layout design forum with Yahoo. Linda Sand posts there every day, and she will know which issues of MR have the dominoe stuff in it.

 

If you use legs, like in a modular unit, then you will portability should you move again.

 

I would use legs even though it's a little more expensive. I use 2 by 2 inch legs for each of my modules. I forget what they're called but you could attach some adjusting screw type things on the bottom of each leg so that way if you move, and the floors of the new room are uneven, you can easily make the layout level.

 

L Girder isn't very stable to move - it needs all it's parts to be stable.

For a movable layout you will want grid boxes of 1x2's with plywood tops - the dominos - this is plenty for N.

I am planning a domino style layout that will not be using the ultra interchangeable modules as descried above. I will have a 'standard' end (18" wide with the main dead center) so I can rearrange them into different sized rooms. Kind of a combination of the domino style and the LDE (Layout Design Elements) as I know I will be moving at least 2 times in the next 5 years.

Your plan is easily expanded to an around the room plan. Decide how long you want your trains to be and then start working out how to make sections in that size or sizes divisible by that size - I want 12' trains so I am planning in 4' dominoes - at least 3 per LDE - 4 is even better for passing sidings.) If you can keep the main the same distance from the front at each end - then it's a simple matter of filling with 'odd size' temporary modules that fill in the room - think of these as bonus main line runs